What is Ultrasonic: Definition and 78 Discussions

Ultrasound is sound waves with frequencies higher than the upper audible limit of human hearing. Ultrasound is not different from "normal" (audible) sound in its physical properties, except that humans cannot hear it. This limit varies from person to person and is approximately 20 kilohertz (20,000 hertz) in healthy young adults. Ultrasound devices operate with frequencies from 20 kHz up to several gigahertz.
Ultrasound is used in many different fields. Ultrasonic devices are used to detect objects and measure distances. Ultrasound imaging or sonography is often used in medicine. In the nondestructive testing of products and structures, ultrasound is used to detect invisible flaws. Industrially, ultrasound is used for cleaning, mixing, and accelerating chemical processes. Animals such as bats and porpoises use ultrasound for locating prey and obstacles.

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  1. S

    Magnetic and Ultra-Sonic Interests

    I'm an entrepreneur with an interest in Magnetics and Ultra - Sonics. I have a strong belief that there are many more applications in which both could be utilised to minimise the use of various energy forms. I am here simply to learn and understand and ultimately to connect with members who...
  2. engnrshyckh

    Object detector using ultrasonic sensor with 555 timer

    See the attached figure. I used 220uF with buzzer and also tried 10uF capacitor but buzzer isn't loud enough. I don't have any 3.3pf capacitor. I used 1.1 pF instead. I also tried changing the resistance of potentiometer but still buzzer isn't sound loud enough.
  3. Z

    Don't know how to make an ultrasonic sensor circuit....

    Hello everyone, I am studying abroad and I am working on a speedometer project. I am preparing to use an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver to make an ultrasonic sensor circuit, and then connect it with the single-chip microcomputer msp430 to realize the functions of speed measurement and...
  4. Nubira20

    What is the lateral distance ?

    I calculated the first critical angle and found the incident angle here to be greater than it thus there no echoes because the beam didn't refract , but i asked a friend and he told me no and that he calculated a number .. any help ?
  5. F

    How does ultrasonic oscillation reduce sliding friction?

    Hi everyone! Sorry if I'm not able to work through this problem very much myself... I'm a Food Science student, and I'm trying to read an article about ultrasonic cutting when applied to apple slicing. From the papers they reference, the rapid vibrations on the blade reduce the friction...
  6. Z

    Can ultrasonic waves be stopped or mitigated?

    Summary: After use of Ultrasonic energy we need to mitigate the propagation of mechanical waves, need a solution to stop propagation or at least mitigate it. Hello Scientists, After use of Ultrasonic energy we need to mitigate the propagation of mechanical waves, need a solution to stop...
  7. D

    Using ultrasonic cleaner to mix solution, using separate container in cleaner reservoir

    Want to do same but in glass container instead of directly in the reservoir as he did. Called the manufacturer, got transferred to their "lab guy" who seemed bumfuzzled by what I want to do, dis-recommended plain water in the reservoir, citing potential corrosion issues??, recommending their...
  8. adamaero

    What is the ASCII code an ultrasonic sensor will output?

    Problem statement For an ultrasonic sensor (MB7380) sending 8 data BITS, no parity and one stop bit, what is the ASCII code it will give for a certain distance like 0.15 meters (0.5')? maxbotix.com/documents/HRXL-MaxSonar-WR_Datasheet.pdf#page=2 Attempt at a solution I do not know how to...
  9. C

    I Analysis of Ultrasonic Waves at a point

    I have a question regarding a theoretical analysis of Ultrasonic waves : The next picture represents a system of transducers sitting on fixed boards: Datum: * there are 4 transducers ( represented by blue color , indexed by letter ' T ' ) , each outputting Ultrasonic wave (represented by...
  10. C

    MATLAB Coding angular spectrum of waves in a fluid

    Hi, I am trying to code ultrasonic transducer radiation in water using angular spectrum of plane waves. I am having difficulties in the sampling and fft. If anybody has an idea about this can you please help me out? I can paste the code once i get some response. Thanks for your help!
  11. javi2018

    Can R4 be replaced with a jumper in an ultrasonic generator circuit?

    I let you a circuit that is an ultrasonic generator to 500 khz, you feel free to include some improvement.
  12. T

    Which Ultrasonic Sensor is Best for Low Cost/Long Distance Proximity Sensing?

    I am new to sensors and am looking for an ultrasonic sensor with a range up to 16-18 feet for very low costs (<$10). Most sensors I have found for this project are pricey relative to the cost I imagined. Are these type of sensors the best option if I am looking for low cost/long distance...
  13. M

    I Effects of Ultrasonic Transducer in contact with glass

    I'm looking for a way of using ultrasonic cleaning to clean the inside of a glass vessel filled with some sort of fluid by transmitting ultrasounds through the glass, rather than submerging the entire glass vessel. If an ultrasonic transducer, let's say something with a maximum frequency of 40...
  14. D

    Difference between Ultrasonic waves and sound waves.

    Hello everyone, Can I seek help on the difference of ultrasonic waves and sound waves? I find it confusing.
  15. F

    A Rajlich's Hypothesis - Ultrasonic Cavitation

    'Rajlich's Hypothesis is a physical hypothesis with a significance for geology. There exist macroscopic white lamellae inside quartz and other minerals in the Bohemian Massif and even at another places in whole of the world like wavefronts generated by a meteorite impact according to the...
  16. N

    Trying to get raw signal from SRF02 ultrasonic sensor

    Hello Physics Forum people! I am working on a project involving indoor mapping, and I have just received 10 SRF02 ultrasonic range finders to hook up in an array to measure distances using sound waves and use this data to map out buildings. However, we are looking to receive the "raw signal...
  17. john101

    What is the best DIY mix for cleaning with an ultrasonic cleaner?

    I bought an ultrasonic cleaner to clean my fuel injectors. It appears very difficult to get a recipie for the liquid to clean in. I think using distilled water is best. At about 60 degrees celsius. What fluids are good to use? I understand that petrol deposits a kind of 'varnish' that can...
  18. C

    How to code ultrasonic beam propagation

    Does anyone have an open source code or know how to code propagation of multi gaussian beams through multiple interfaces using the ABCD matrix approach? And this is using ultrasound and not optics. Please let me know if anyone can help out in this
  19. Overflowing

    Ultrasonic Welding Help - PC Troubleshooting

    I'm exploring Ultrasonic Welding as an alternative to solvent welding of some polycarbonate parts...looking for someone with some knowledge in this arena. I'm very familiar with solvent welding acrylic, but PC is giving me troubles. Anyone willing to help me out?
  20. D

    Robot navigation using GPS coordinates with two ultrasonic range finders

    Ok, the reason for my absence is I have been working on a project of building a multitasking Robot. Since the connection of Robots to Physics never entered my mind I assumed I have nothing of value to add to any discussion on the PhysicsForums. If anyone is interested in the problem that I am...
  21. NPB777

    Variation of Frequency of sound underwater

    Hello, I am very much interested to how frequency of sound varies in water. Also, how the frequency varies with temperature and depth? What are the different formulas related to this? Secondly, how can we determine the best frequency of operation? I would be very thankful if anyone could answer...
  22. H

    Ultrasonic extraction of essential oil from ginger

    i just choose this topic for my final year project where i need to search and conducting an experiment to determine its effectiveness. But since i am so lack of knowledge for this particular scientific experiment, i would like maybe a further explanatory here. Any thoughts or ideas about this...
  23. B

    Need help with an ultrasonic sensor interface circuit to ev3

    I'm currently building a robot using Lego Mindstorm with an ev3 brick that will follow a pre-determined path (marked by black tape), maintain a certain distance behind another robot, and coming to a stop at the end of its journey. The ev3 will be connected to 2 DC motors, 3 light sensors, and an...
  24. A

    I Way of producing 600kHz longitudinal waves - Piezo or siren

    Hello! My name is Nick and I have an MSc in Computer Science, I'm also Physics enthusiast and amateur/independent researcher. I would like to ask for your help on something. I'm currently trying to find a way to study ultrasonic waves' effects on water and I'd like to find a means of...
  25. S

    I want to create an ultrasonic generator amplifier w/ MOSFET

    Firstly, I'm only a beginner at electronics and most of my knowledge comes from googling things. I have (several) ultrasonic transducers (100 watt 40 khz) i'd like to drive with my ultrasonic generator (100 watts 40 khz) but I'd like to up the amplitude of my transducers because I want the...
  26. darklord27

    Can an Ultrasonic wave penetrate a LPG cylinder

    Hey guys, First time poster here. Presently I'm doing a project to measure the levels of LPG remaining in an LPG cylinder. I'm currently trying out ultrasonic sensor that primarily works as a distance sensor(HCSR04). As far as I'm aware, the lower the frequency higher the penetration of the...
  27. F

    A question about ultrasonic wave

    Hi, When a linearly polarized shear wave enters an anisotropic material, shear wave splitting (a fast and a slow shear waves) will occur. My question is, under normal incident, will the fast shear wave speed vary if the polarization of the incoming shear wave changes? Thanks!
  28. K

    Difficult time brazing drill bit to ultrasonic horn

    I have an ultrasonic drill, and need to attach a stainless steel drill bit (hollow tube) to a hardened steel horn. For anyone unfamiliar with ultrasonic drilling, please take a look at the following illustration with instructions for mounting the drill bit...
  29. B

    What Factors Affect Ultrasound Penetration Depth?

    Hi, I want to calculate the penetration depth of some different frequency ultrasound transducers. I know that it depends on the attenuation of the medium but not sure where these types of figures will be hiding. I assume that once the dB lost for the depth is equal to the dB generated, this is...
  30. D

    Ultrasonic crack detection in glass bottles

    I'm working on a project for a bottling plant that is trying to make a vision-based machine to detect cracked glass bottles before they attempt to fill them. It seems that the vision & backlight approach is the standard way to do this in the industry, but the shape of the bottle in this...
  31. K

    How can I fine tune an ultrasonic frequency?

    I'm building an ultrasonic drill, and I've already collected or machined all of the components. Since I'm very inexperienced in electronics, I'm planning to simply buy an ultrasonic driver (power source) rather than build one myself. The one I'm interested in is here...
  32. K

    Trying to build an ultrasonic drill

    I'm attempting to build an ultrasonic drill to make holes in silicon wafers, since we don't have the budget to buy one in our lab. From what (I think) I know, ultrasonic drills can either work by the "jackhammer" motion of a free floating mass which I don't know how to make, or by the transfer...
  33. A

    Designing a variable-frequency ultrasonic wave generator

    Hello everyone! Seeing as this is my first post, I'll give you a basic background of who I am: My name is Andrew Raisbeck; I graduated from university with a Bachelor of Computing (Computer Science) degree a little over a year ago, and I now work full-time for the government of Canada. Since I...
  34. S

    Simple ultrasonic thickness gauge

    Homework Statement I want to built a simple ultrasonic thickness gauge for my final project. I have already search in google about that simple electronic circuit but i can't found it and also i have already looking for tutorial video in youtube about how to built simple ultrasonic...
  35. J

    Mounting a small ultrasonic sensor to a continuous rotation servo

    I'm an Arduino electronics hobbyist I'm not a professional electrical engineer. How would I mount a small ultrasonic sensor on a continuous rotation servo, without tangling the wires? How would I fix this problem easily and what's the most common way to mount electronics in a rotating object...
  36. N

    Question about ultrasonic receiver orientation

    I would like to use an ultrasonic transmitter and three receivers to be able to determine the position of the transmitter relative to the receivers. The distances to be measured are around 3-4 ft. I want to understand how the receivers orientation relative to the transmitter can affect the...
  37. T

    Ultrasonic Standing Wave Suspension could the transducer support itself?

    Ultrasonic Standing Wave Suspension could the transducer support itself? Essentially looking at items that state a surface area of 1m2 could support 11.5kn at 16 Watts (Hemsel, 2013) could the transducer suspend itself from the reflector using the same theory even though the suspension point is...
  38. H

    Ultrasonic Cavitation: Can I Produce Acoustic Cavitation?

    Hi, I was wondering whether I could practically produce ultrasound capable of producing acoustic cavitation. I tried an arduino module at 40kHz, but this did bot work, would a higher frequency work? If so, is there a practical way of achieving this? Thanks in advance.
  39. M

    Revolutionize Your Projects with 3D Ultrasonic Sonar on Arduino

    I'm working on arduino based project, that actually can perform 3 features: 1. Virtual Touch Screen, for remote control purposes big screen TV, projectors, public display, or for interactive games 2. 3D Ultrasonic Radar, small range - 3 m for now, but real time with update rate 50 fps; 3...
  40. C

    Please help -- Ultrasonic Welder Error Message

    Hi everyone, I recently purchased a Sonobond Ultrasonic Welder for Plastics (MP3512 w/ Generator SL35-900). After setting it up with the compressed air system and a voltage converter (I'm in the US), I turned the generator on. On the display, I got an "ERROR FREQUENCY." I thought it was...
  41. C

    How do I drive this cheap ultrasonic probe?

    Hi everyone, I've acquired a cheap ultrasonic probe (advertised as for a thickness gauge.) It's a temperature resistant probe up to 300C and operates at 5MHz. It came with no documentation or means to drive it. It terminates in two LEMO 00 connectors, and I've acquired 2 LEMO 00 to BNC...
  42. B

    Understanding Ultrasonic Heterodyning: EM Voltages and Human Hearing Explained

    Please help me understand what is wrong with my thinking. I have two high frequency sources into an oscilloscope with one source a few hertz difference. I have a spectrum analyzer and expected a low frequency signal due to the beat frequency of the sources. What is going wrong? I'm confused...
  43. W

    What is the Dynamic Scaling Theory for Ultrasonic Absorption in Binary Mixtures?

    hello everyone i am a master student and right now i am preparing for my thesis which is about the ultrasonic absorption for binary mixtures using the dynamic scaling theory that theory has been set by Ferrell and Bhattacharjee if anyone have information about this subject or papers i can...
  44. A

    Smaller droplet creation by ultrasonic humidifiers

    Hi all, For a science project, I'm using mist, created by an ultrasonic humidifier. An ultrasonic humidifier uses a membrane that vibrates at ultrasonic frequency to disperse water into tiny droplets, resulting in a cool mist. Now I was wondering; is there a way to reduce the droplet size...
  45. T

    Wondering about the initial signal from ultrasonic transducer

    Hi, I have two ultrasonic transducers and a pulser-receiver(5072PR). One is the contact transducer, A120S (6MHz), from Olympus and the other is also contact mode transducer, but it is a customized ring-type transducer (2.X MHz) (like doughnut). I have two questions. First, when I turn on...
  46. G

    Hooking up an ultrasonic transducer?

    Hello, Sorry if this seems like a very basic question to experienced engineers, but I'm a beginner in this area just looking to learn--- I thought up a research project, one of the components in which I need to generate ultrasonic waves. There were scrapped ultrasonic ring transducers (look...
  47. W

    SHM - Ultrasonic Transducers

    Homework Statement An ultrasonic transducer, of the type used in medical ultrasound imaging, is a very thin disk (m = 0.14 g) driven back and forth in SHM at 0.8 MHz by an electromagnetic coil. (a) The maximum restoring force that can be applied to the disk without breaking it is 34,000 N...
  48. I

    What is the speed of sound in an alloy with 91.67% gold and 8.33% copper?

    Hi there , I have been trying to work out what the speed of sound is when passing through a metal alloy made out of 91.67% AU and 8.33% CU. If anyone here knows,would you care to share, or point me to a place where I can find out ? Thank you very much
  49. R

    Ultrasonic Transducer interfacing help.

    Yesterday I bought an Ultrasonic Transducer pair. i am trying to work with it. i am giving a 40khz square wave 14Vpp(peak to peak) to the transmitter and trying to receive it through the receiving transducer. but cannot get any voltage at the receiver. please help me out...
  50. N

    Determination elastic constants wit ultrasonic in bulk metallic glasses

    HAllo everyone, I had a problem with the measurement of young modulus and shear modulus with ultrasonic measurements( pulse-echo overlap technique) For my metallic glasses rods (amorphous material) I used these formula for the calculation: 1. determination Shear modulus: G= ro * v...
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